Tshegofatso Mabasa has addressed the expectation that comes with stepping into the shoes of a 20-goal striker at his new club, insisting he feels no added pressure to replicate what his predecessor achieved last season – only to build on it.
The forward’s move to Fes has inevitably drawn comparisons to the player he effectively replaces up front, but speaking to iDiski Times, Mabasa was clear that his focus is on his own game, not living up to someone else’s numbers.
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‘I trust my qualities as a player’
“I wouldn’t say I feel pressure, firstly I’m coming in here to try and help this club, not only repeat what they did last season but to better that, I know my qualities and trust my qualities as player,” Mabasa said.
“Yes we are completely different players, myself and Benjdida, but what matters to me is putting the ball in the back of the net. And seeing a player move on score 20 goals like he did last season, just shows me that there’s a lot of supply here and I can thrive under such conditions, even with a new coach coming in.
“I don’t think he’ll want to change a lot, especially to a team that has won the league last season, maybe a few tweaks here and there but I don’t think it will affect how the team or the club performed last season.”
Rather than viewing Benjdida’s departure as a burden, Mabasa sees it as evidence of a system that will suit his own style, with the goal supply already proven at the club regardless of who’s leading the line.
Mentally ready for a new life in Morocco
Beyond the football, Mabasa also opened up on the personal side of the move – relocating his life to a new country – and said it’s a step he’d long known was coming.
“Yes [I am ready] I knew going into this period where my contract was coming up and there’s options like this, you know Mas Fes, wasn’t the only option that arised, but I knew this was a step that I’d eventually have to take,” he said.
He also credited an earlier chapter in his career for helping prepare him for the transition.
“Even the move to Stellenbosch, helped prepare me and my mind for what’s to come, so definitely it’s a change yes but it’s one I wanted and one that I felt I was ready for.”
With the mental groundwork already laid, Mabasa now turns his attention to settling into life at Fes and hitting the ground running as pre-season progresses.
Story by Lorenz Kohler (@Lorenz_KO).
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